About Us

The Florence/Lauderdale Tourism board was created in December of 1994 by the Florence City Council and Lauderdale County Commission.

Tourism Staff

Debbie Wilson , Director - Florence/Lauderdale Tourism
Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 1-888-356-8687 One Hightower Place Florence, AL 35630	A native of Lauderdale County, Debbie is a graduate of Wilson High School and the University of North Alabama in 1983. Debbie worked as a journalist in radio news at WQLT radio in Florence for several years after graduating from UNA. Wilson has several years experience in the hospitality industry. She was assistant to the Director of Marketing at The Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles for 3 years before returning to Florence in 1993. Debbie handled marketing activities at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame for a year before signing on as Tourism Director in Florence. Tourism activities were previously handled by the Shoals Chamber of Commerce but as tourism as increased substantially in recent years, city and county leaders moved to create a Tourism Board as a separate entity. The original Tourism Committee hired Debbie as the Director in December of 1994. Under Debbie’s leadership and marketing skills, the lodging revenues for Lauderdale County have doubled in just six years and are still on the rise today. The North Alabama Tourist Association named Florence/Lauderdale Tourism, “Tourism Organization of the Year” in 2001 and Debbie received the honor of the being named “Tourism Professional of Year” in 2002. Florence/Lauderdale Tourism was named Southeast Tourism Society’s CVB of the Year in 2007.
Alison Stanfield, Assistant Director - Florence/Lauderdale Tourism
Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. One Hightower Place Florence, AL 35630 1-888-356-8687	A native of Florence, Alison graduated from Coffee High School and the University of North Alabama. She began working at Florence/Lauderdale Tourism in June of 1995 and is currently the Assistant Director. Alison handles a large part of the tourism operations including accounting, media relations, development of marketing materials and supervisor of the internship program.  She coordinates the walking tours of historic Florence and works with organizers of various events.  Outside of the Tourism office, Alison is a member of the philanthropic sorority for women, Zeta Chi and is a member of the Underwood Sports Complex board of directors.  She has been married to David for 21 years and has two boys ages 11 and 8.
Libby Jordan, Director of Cultural Tourism
Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	A native of Florence, AL, Libby joined the staff of Florence-Lauderdale Tourism in 2010. A graduate of the University of South Alabama with a degree in Geology, Libby worked as a petroleum geologist in Oklahoma before moving back to Florence in the early 90’s. Changing professions, she was Senior Project Manager for Tomlinson-Sims Advertising for 6 years before moving to the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail where she opened the two courses at The Shoals and served as Director of Sales and Marketing for 7 years. Libby is heavily involved in local issues serving as chairman of various non-profit boards and civic organizations. Her passion is the improvement and promotion of public libraries, museums, and cultural awareness. She served as chairman of the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library when the new $7 million building was planned and constructed. Libby currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Shoals Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Florence Unlimited, and Florence Main Street. She also serves on the University of North Alabama’s Board of Trustees being appointed by Governor Bob Riley in 2009. As Director of Cultural Tourism for Florence-Lauderdale Tourism, Libby markets and promotes museums, cultural, and heritage events. She works with Travel Writers promoting the area and is project manager for the new Visitor’s Center currently in the planning stages.
Pat Willingham, Information Specialist
1-888-356-8687
Suzie Shoemaker, Sports Marketing and Special Events Planner - Florence/Lauderdale Tourism
Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. One Hightower Place Florence, AL 35630 1-888-356-8687	A native of Tuscumbia, Alabama, Suzie is a graduate of Deshler High School and the University of North Alabama where she received a degree in Speech Communications and Theatre. Suzie is the Sports Marketing and Special Events Planner at Florence/Lauderdale Tourism. Outside the tourism office, Suzie serves on the Florence First Fridays, Shoals Earth Day Fest, Keep the Shoals Beautiful, Shoals National Championship & Alabama Renaissance Faire committees. Suzie’s daughter, Rebekah is a student at The University of North Alabama.

Our Mission Statement

The purpose of the Board shall be to market, advertise and promote Florence and Lauderdale County, Alabama as a tourist destination, as well as, a meeting and convention center.

This primary objective shall be accomplished by soliciting conferences, individual, corporate and group visitors, and through the promotion of our special attractions and overall resources of the region.

The Board shall further attempt to expand tourism through the support of educational, cultural, recreational, civic and social activities that enhance the perception of this area by showcasing its hospitality and natural beauty.

The overall intent of this mission is to strengthen the economic foundation for all citizens of Lauderdale County.

Board of Directors

The five-member board includes two members appointed by the Florence City Council, two members appointed by the Lauderdale County Commission and one member appointed jointly by the Council and Commission.  The members serve four-year terms.

County Appointments

- Alex Nelson
- Kelli Gaputis

City Appointments

-  Ernest Haygood (Vice Chairperson)
-  David Abramson (Secretary/Treasurer)

Joint Appointment

- Sandra Killen Burroughs (Chairperson)

Please contact us for board of directors contact information. 256-740-4141 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Maps

Links

Local Government & Organizations Links

City of Florence: www.florenceal.org
Rogersville, Alabama: www.rogersvillealabama.org
Shoals Economic Development Authority: www.seda-shoals.com
Shoals Chamber of Commerce: www.shoalschamber.com
Downtown Florence Unlimited www.downtownflorenceunlimited.org
Heritage Preservation, Inc. www.florencehistorical.org
Tennessee Valley Authority: www.tva.gov
Florence Main Street www.florencemainstreet.org

Airport

Northwest Alabama Regional Airport: www.flytheshoals.com

Attractions & Events

First Fridays in Florence:  www.firstfridaysflorence.com
W.C. Handy Festival: www.wchandymusicfestival.org
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Rosenbaum House: www.wrightinalabama.com
Children’s Museum of the Shoals: www.shoalschildrensmuseum.org
Alabama Music Hall of Fame: www.alamhof.org
Helen Keller’s Birthplace: www.helenkellerbirthplace.org
Division II National Championship: www.d2championship.com
Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail of the Shoals: www.rtjgolf.com
Alabama Renaissance Faire www.alarenfaire.org
Alabama Wholesale Market: www.alabamawholesalemarket.com

Entertainment Venues and Facilities

The Zodiac Theater

The Arts

First Fridays in Florence:  www.firstfridaysflorence.com
Shoals Artists: www.ShoalsArt.com
Tennessee Valley Art Association www.tvaa.net
The Zodiac Theater
Shoals Celtic Concert Series www.shoalscelticconcerts.com/
The Shoals Symphony Orchestra http://www.una.edu/shoals-symphony/
University of North Alabama Theater www2.una.edu/theatre/
The "Gingerbread Players" http://www.shoalstheatre.com/history.htm

Education

University of North Alabama: www.una.edu
Northwest Shoals Community College: www.nwscc.cc.al.us/
Alabama Heritage: www.alabamaheritage.com

Hospitals/Healthcare

Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital: www.chgroup.org
Helen Keller Hospital: www.helenkeller.com
Shoals Hospital: www.chgroup.org
Hospice of the Shoals: www.hospiceoftheshoals.org

Alabama Convention & Visitor’s Bureaus

Alabama Gulf Coast CVB: www.gulfshores.com and www.orangebeach.com
Alabama Tourism and Travel: http://www.alabama.travel/
Athens CVB: www.tourathens.com
Auburn–Opelika CVB: www.auburn-opelika.com
Colbert County CVB: www.colbertcountytourism.org
Decatur CVB: www.decaturcvb.org
Dothan CVB: http://www.dothanalcvb.com/
Foley CVB: www.foleycvb.com
Fort Payne: www.tourdekalb.com
Gadsden–Etowah Tourism Bureau: http://www.gadsden-etowahtourismboard.com/
Greater Birmingham CVB: www.sweetbirmingham.com
Guntersville CVB: http://www.marshallcountycvb.com/
Huntsville/Madison CVB: www.huntsville.org
Mobile CVB: www.mobile.org
Montgomery Area Visitors Center: www.visitingmontgomery.com
North Alabama Tourism Association: www.northalabama.org
Shelby County Tourism Bureau: www.sceida.org
Tuscaloosa CVB: www.tcvb.org

Community Info

Adventures In Learning

City of Florence

This is southern living at its best. This is how life is supposed to be. From the houses on the bluffs overlooking the Tennessee River to the beautiful and historic homes in the city's downtown area, life in Florence is full of beauty.

Whether you're looking to do business in Florence, visit us, or looking to relocate, this is the website where you can find anything about the City of Florence.

We have an excellent climate, with four gentle and distinct seasons; terrific recreation opportunities, and the beautiful Tennessee River at our southern boundary; a thriving retail and manufacturing economy; a reverent sense of history and culture; superior schools; and the friendliest people in the world. This is a great place to live, work, and play!
http://florenceal.org/

Shoals Chamber of Commerce

The Shoals is considered a very affordable and likable place to live, in the view of many college and business experts who study a combination of factors used to determine an area's quality of life. The Shoals consists of Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia, and occupies approximately 1,425 square miles of land in Colbert and Lauderdale counties of Northwest Alabama.

Business and Industry in the Shoals draw from a civilian labor force in excess of 410,000 workers from a thirteen county area. A recent independent economic assessment of the commuting watershed noted the population growth for the Shoals is expected to be significant, contributing to the available supply of labor.

North Alabama is an area of unsurpassed beauty -- a region of natural wonders where you will find miles of riverside parks, communities of diverse cultures, and a treasure chest of vacation destinations. The Shoals area is one of these treasure chests in North Alabama. The Shoals is made up of four cities in the northwest corner of Alabama.

Our Chamber is the organization of influence that enables Shoals area citizens to achieve a higher standard of living and a better quality of life through the economic successes of its members. As a Chamber member, you will be associated with more than 1,000 other Shoals area businesses employing more than 45,000 people. The Shoals Chamber is one of the TOP 10 largest Chambers of Commerce in Alabama.
http://shoalschamber.com/

The Shoals

Whether you're searching for an available industrial building or a prime industrial site as a new location for your company, you'll find what you need in The Shoals area of North Alabama! We have had great success over the past few years and welcome the opportunity to show you what we have to offer!
http://seda-shoals.com/

Florence-Lauderdale Public Library

Genealogy, computer lab, an exciting children's area, state-of-the-art technology, reading rooms, permanent art collection, history department, and year-round programs tailored for you-all this at the 40,000 square foot library in historic downtown Florence. And, if you haven't had enough stimulation, a coffee shop too!

Located: 350 Wood Avenue, Florence.
Phone 256-764-6564.
Hours Monday-Thursday, 10 AM-7 PM. Friday-Saturday, 10 AM-5 PM. Sunday 1 PM-5 PM.
http://www.flpl.org

Lauderdale County

A number of important industries used Lauderdale County's abundant waterpower, these including cotton and cloth mills, one of these being operated both before and after the Civil War on Cypress Creek near Florence. Another mill made cloth for Confederate Army uniforms and still another guns for the Southern cause. Both were destroyed by Union soldiers, while another large mill was wrecked by flood waters of the creek.

Today waterpower speaks volumes. Coursing through the great turbines of the TVA dams, the mighty waters of the Tennessee River are producing low cost power, lighting the homes of thousands of citizens and turning the wheels of industry in a region second to none in natural and human resources.

Lauderdale County, boasting a $10 million yearly income from its farms and many additional millions from its payrolls, stands on the threshold of a great era of progress. No area in the entire nation holds greater promise or offers more in good living, health, and contentment.
http://lauderdalecountyonline.com/

University of North Alabama

The University of North Alabama was established in 1830, and is located in the heart of Downtown Florence. The campus was designed by the country's most renowned landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed Central Park and the Mall area of Washington D.C.

Approximately 7,000 students attend UNA including international students from over 50 countries. UNA also boasts the only live Lion mascots in the country living on campus, Leo III and Una, born on November 18, 2002, now reside on the campus in the 12,764 square-foot George H. Carroll Lion Habitat.
256-765-4100 or 1-800-TALK-UNA or visit www.una.edu/